What The Public Needs To Know: Your Brain Is Already On CBD

By Dr. Milagros Hernandez

Though CBD is legal in all fifty states, some law enforcement officials seem hell-bent on shutting down establishments that sell it, citing local / state laws. As a medical doctor and CBD advocate, I am both puzzled and frustrated by this attitude toward a completely natural plant whose medicinal value has been recognized for centuries. If it weren’t for the rise of the plastic industry, hemp fields would be just as common as cornfields in America, and we would all be feeling - and looking - healthier. 

Why is the hemp plant so good for us? The answer is simple, yet not enough people understand it:

Your brain is already on CBD. 

That's right - the human body produces CBD on its own. All humans are born with CBD 1 and CBD 2 receptors in their brains. These receptors work with other chemicals and hormones to keep your body in a state of homeostasis. But, as many of us know, hormones fluctuate, or maybe trauma affected your serotonin levels, or you were simply born with a brain that makes too much or too little dopamine / serotonin / estrogen / testosterone / progesterone. 

Thankfully, doctors can run tests for these deficiencies and work to find hormone replacement therapy or medicine and therapy that can help with the myriad issues caused by an upset to the balance our bodies want and need. And yet CBD has not been studied enough, is not part of any routine panel of testing, and there is a lot of misinformation out there. Along with other CBD advocates, I am aiming to change that. 

In the MassRoots article Understanding Cannabinoid Receptors: Why Cannabis Affects Humans, the author describes our endocannibinoid system and the need for more research: “Many researches and scientists speculate that other receptors, beyond CB1 and CB2, may easily exist. A detailed understanding about how cannabinoids and terpenes interact with currently unknown receptor types in the endocannabinoid system could potentially result in cannabinoid therapies targeted at particular diseases and conditions.” And yet, we doctors don’t regularly test for CBD levels - and I think that’s a shame. 

Here are ways all of us - those who work in the medical field and the general public - can advocate for change and additional research: 

1 - Call for CBD tests to be part of regular lab testing. In order for that to happen, we have to change how we view this plant, and support politicians who will support further research and informational campaigns so the public understands what CBD is and how it interacts with our endocannibinoid system.

2 - Understand that CBD does not make you high; for those who want to look and feel better, you don’t have to give up your sense of control when you use CBD. Hemp-derived CBD isolate contains no THC, has great anti-inflammatory properties, is full of healthy omegas and vitamins that the body needs, and does not cause the “brain-buzz” associated with cannabis. 

3 - Remember that the body naturally produces CBD, but cannot store it. As you make it, you use it. But some people don’t make enough, and have a CBD deficiency - just like some people have vitamin B or D deficiencies (both of which are very common and helped by CBD isolate). So, if you have any of those deficiencies, a lack of CBD may be a contributing factor. CBD oil / products may help with these deficiencies, as it's packed with healthy omegas and antioxidants.

4 - Consider the effects of aging on our CBD levels. Besides differences in body makeup, a simple fact remains: as all of us age, we all stop producing CBD. Just like sex hormones, our body slows down and stops production of this natural compound. CBD supplements - whether ingested orally or applied topically - can help us as we age, especially. That’s why I started my organic skincare company - to provide a medically safe and sound CBD skincare line that can help with everything from wrinkles to acne, rosacea, eczema and other skin conditions. 

If you think you deserve to learn more about this powerful super-food, tell your elected officials, tell your doctor. Even the medical field needs to be educated on this topic, and I hope it starts here. I’m happy to answer questions you may have in the comments below, and wish you all the best on your journey to health and happiness! 

Español: El CBD No Sólo Viene del Cannabis: También lo Produce tu Cerebro

Dr. Milagros Hernandez has been practicing medicine in NYC for the past thirty years. She started her own organic CBD oil skincare line, TEScosmetics, to provide an alternative to cosmetics filled with chemicals.

Photo by Javier Hasse.

The preceding article is from one of our external contributors. It does not represent the opinion of Benzinga and has not been edited.